Goldilox's Greatest Hits Volume 6

Goldlox's Greatest Hits is our new monthly wrap up feature. We'll recap our favorite books we've read this month and show you some of our favorite posts that you might have missed, as well as what's coming up next on Goldilox and the Three Weres.

 

 

Greatest Hits

Check out our highest rated reads from the month of June!

Rose Red's continuing her re-read of the Mercy Thompson series with two 5 star reviews,
Bone Crossed and Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs.

And she gave 4 stars to The Shadow Revolution and The Undying Legion by Clay and Susan Griffith.

ICYMI

In our Read This F-ing Book series, we featured Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series and the Generation V books by M.L. Brennan.

And I started a summer series of Vicarious Vacation posts by counting down my five fave road trip stories.

Help Us Help You 

Thanks to everyone who recommended their favorite zombie stories and PNR series.  We'd like to make our new Which F-ing Book Should I Read? a monthly feature.

Do have a category missing form your TBR pile? Need some suggestions? Send us a message on Facebook and we might use your topic in the coming months.

Coming Soon

July is HUGE for us! We're celebrating our 4th Blogoversary, as well as the 1st anniversary of Gretl and Rose Red joining the blog. So watch for some exciting stuff coming toward the end of the month.

Release Day Review: The Undying Legion by Clay and Susan Griffith

The Undying Legion
(Crown & Key #2)
Clay and Susan Griffith
Release: June 30, 2015
Goodreads Amazon

A thrilling new Victorian-era urban fantasy for fans of Kevin Hearne’s Iron Druid Chronicles, the Showtime series Penny Dreadful, and the Sherlock Holmes movies featuring Robert Downey, Jr.
 
With a flood of dark magic about to engulf Victorian London, can a handful of heroes vanquish a legion of the undead?
 
When monster-hunter Malcolm MacFarlane comes across the gruesome aftermath of a ritual murder in a London church, he enlists the help of magician-scribe Simon Archer and alchemist extraordinaire Kate Anstruther. Studying the macabre scene, they struggle to understand obscure clues in the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics carved into the victim’s heart—as well as bizarre mystical allusions to the romantic poetry of William Blake. One thing is clear: Some very potent black magic is at work.

But this human sacrifice is only the first in a series of ritualized slayings. Desperate to save lives while there is still time, Simon, Kate, and Malcolm—along with gadget geek Penny Carter and Charlotte, an adolescent werewolf—track down a necromancer who is reanimating the deceased. As the team battles an unrelenting army of undead, a powerful Egyptian mummy, and serpentine demons, the necromancer proves an elusive quarry. And when the true purpose of the ritual is revealed, the gifted allies must confront a destructive force that is positively apocalyptic.

Review by Rose Red: 

About half way through this book, I had a realization. The story was kind of like reading a gaslight fantasy version of The Mummy with a slightly larger cast of characters. It's also been pointed out to me that it's almost like a Victorian version of Scooby Doo and the gang which I can totally agree with as well. In other words, this book was great! Seriously. It was yet again another fast-paced, action-packed adventure that hurtled you through the story at breakneck speed! It was such a delightful read! 

Victory against the big bad in The Shadow Revolution was bittersweet for Simon and Kate. They may have defeated Gretta's werewolves and the homunculi of the evil Dr. White, but it wasn't without some loss. Nick has abandoned them for safer pastures and Imogen's transformation appears to be permanent, and they are nowhere close to discovering the purpose of Simon's mysterious key.

While out hunting the last of the rogue werewolves in London, Malcolm discovers the aftermath of a particularly gruesome ritual murder in a local church. More murders follow and clues indicate they are part of a larger necromantic ritual. The London they know is crumbling around them as dark magic covers the city and the dead rise from their graves. Like Nick said in the first book, sometimes taking a stand draws the attention of evils far greater than what you are prepared to face.

Demons, demigods, cults, conspiracies, and the undead abound in the second book of this series. This story is very much a plot driven one and I enjoyed the heck out of it. It kept me guessing. The twists and turns are cleverly done and the ending was a complete surprise. I like being surprised. Husband and wife authors, Clay and Susan Griffith, create a mystical world filled with intrigue, secrets and danger. After the last book, we have no clue who is on the side of right outside of our little group. Then again, right and wrong is all a matter of perspective, right?

We start to see more character development in our ever growing cast. We learn more about each of these characters individually and how their pasts tie them together. The characters are getting more and more complex, with their own unique strengths and vulnerabilities. And we're starting to see more relationships form as they ragtag lot becomes more of a team. They have to work on trusting and relying on each other. I particularly enjoyed getting to see more of the delightful inventor, Penny, in this book as well as the girl werewolf, Charlotte. There's still a lot of unknowns in the story and several untold secrets that will leave you wanting more. The ending of this story pulled me deeper into this series because there are some major consequences of that last major battle in this book that will undoubtedly throw a wrench in things in the next book.

What I really liked about this book is how well-developed the scenes are in these books. They are well written and easy to visualize. The fight scenes are particularly great! The frantic pace mirrors the group's desperation as they try to prevent London from becoming a battleground for two powerful and very destructive forces. The book was like a movie playing in my mind. The characters are easy to picture and each of the places in this book are memorable. It was all way impressive. 
  
The Undying Legion combines a thrilling well-developed plot with spectacular action sequences with witty banter and unlikely heroes that are fabulously unique and fascinating. It all works together to bring this steampunk story to life. I enjoyed it immensely and I can't wait to see what comes next in the final book of the trilogy! Fans of gaslight fantasy, urban fantasy and steampunk will love this series!

Recommended for fans of: 
The Magicians and Mrs. Quent by Galen Beckett
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley.

    

  4 / 5 Stars

My reviews of other books in this series:
The Shadow Revolution by Clay and Susan Griffith

Which F@!%ing Book Should I Read? (2)

It's Monday, which is usually when we tell you to

But we're switching it up a little bit this week.

I recently finished marathoning the Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh and I adored it! It also made me realize that I haven't read many long running (8+ books) paranormal romance series. I usually read a lot of long running urban fantasy series and not straight up paranormal romance series where each book follows a different couple. So aside from the Psy-Changeling series, I've read Donna Grant's Dark Sword/Dark Warrior series, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress/Night Prince series (I'm including this series because all the companion books a series with the different couples makes it a paranormal romance in my mind). I would like to read more long running paranormal romance series like this.

So this week I'm asking

Which F-ing Book should I read?

Here are some suggestions from my co-bloggers to get it started:

Goodies from Gretl:

     

The Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh

(I'm stretching a little to say this is an eight book series, but Archangel's Enigma, book 8, is due out in September.) I love the world Singh constructed where you can watch angels flying over New York. But it's the angels' relationship with the vampires and the hunters that round out the cast that really make it interesting to me. Who doesn't love a tortured vampire hero? Plus, I love my supernatural politics and the centuries old rivalries between the Archangels definitely deliver it.

Love at Stake series by Kerrilyn Sparks

This series is now complete at 16 books, so it's a good choice for a binge read. It's not as dark as some of the vampire series out there - they create synthetic blood beverages like "Bleer." But the variety of characters, including shifters of every flavor, keeps it from getting repetitive for me like some of the other "light PNR" series can. Plus, hot Scottish vamps in kilts!

Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon

This series mixes mythologies from all over the world and creates some new ones, like the gods of Atlantis. It also puts a twist on the usual vampires and demons. The first few books are lighter and pretty straightforward PNR, but the series plot gets increasingly complex and the characters increasingly tortured (some quite literally.) Admittedly, I've only read the first 10 of 13 in the series. I also like the YA prequel series The Chronicles of Nick.

Guidance from Goldilox:

   

   

Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole

This series is still ongoing but its already well past 8 books. I have to confess that paranormal romance with a different couple in each book is not my forte. I tend to lean towards urban fantasy with romance. But Cole's Immortals After Dark series has been a favorite of mine. I love how the lives of the characters and families all intersect with each other and how the couples carry into other books. For PNR, these actually have a lot of action and really strong plots. Plus, the romance is STEAMY.

Demonica/Lords of Deliversance series by Larissa Ione
Okay, cheating a little bit here. The Demonica series is five books and the Lords of Deliverance series is a spinoff that continues with another several books. I have only read the Demonica part of this series but I had to include it because its another one of my favorites and because I've got the spinoff books sitting on my shelf staring at me waiting to be read. I love Ione's easy writing style and again the romance is hot! 

Darkest London series by Kristen Callihan

The Darkest London series is a terrific historical, paranormal romance set in England. Its sexy, exciting, and well-written. The beautiful romance in the first book, Firelight, hooked me into the series and every other book I've read in this series has been fabulous. Each couple has a different paranormal element to contend with. There are seven full-length books and two novellas in this series so far and hopefully the series will continue on after that.

Tell me your favorite long running paranormal romance series and why I should add it to my TBR pile.

Review: Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs

Bone Crossed
(Mercy Thompson #4)
Patricia Briggs
Release: February 3, 2009
Goodreads Amazon

By day, Mercy is a car mechanic in the sprawling Tri-Cities of Eastern Washington. By night, she explores her preternatural side. As a shapeshifter with some unique talents, Mercy has often found herself having to maintain a tenuous harmony between the human and the not so human. This time she may get more than she bargained for.

Marsilia, the local Vampire Queen, has learned that Mercy crossed her by slaying a member of her clan—and she's out for blood. But since Mercy is protected from direct reprisal by the werewolf pack (and her close relationship with its sexy Alpha), it won't be Mercy's blood Marsilia is after.

It'll be her friends'.

Review by Rose Red:

Bone Crossed is the fourth installment in the Mercy Thompson series and is a direct follow-up to Briggs amazingly well-written Iron Kissed. Mercy is still dealing with the many problems in her life and trying to recover from a horrific assault that was the climax of the previous book. One thing I love at Patricia Briggs's writing is that she writes realistic character reactions to trauma. What happened at the end of Iron Kissed was some serious trauma and Mercy is reacting to it like a real person would. The situation is ripe with opportunities for the author to wave a magic wand and make things all better, but Briggs doesn't and my respect for her writing increased exponentially as a result. I really appreciate that especially because I've read so many authors take the magical solution route when there's a paranormal element to the story.

Mercy is coping and dealing with her new role as the mate of the local Werewolf pack. She is still suffering side-effects of previous events, but that doesn't mean that she's giving up. Briggs does a great job of keeping the story moving, introducing the next elements of the story and mixing in how the recent changes in her life require Mercy to reevaluate things and make adjustments. It's wonderful because too many authors don't bother to address these issues. Many authors in this genre let change happen and everything magically work out with any real effort by the main character.

Life keeps giving us problems even when we might wish otherwise and Briggs doesn't give Mercy a chance to rest. New issues continue to creep into the story and past choices by supporting characters come back to haunt Mercy and her friends. It's neat to see an author who is willing to let the main character actually cope with the second and third order effects of having broken with tradition and made enemies in previous stories. It's not like Mercy is just on a non-stop wheel of pain, it's just that Briggs doesn't let her just skip through life without paying the bill for being the cause of change that she often has been.

The story is not terribly long and Briggs doesn't cover tons of new ground, but there is still plenty to absorb. Complications between inter-species conflicts remain a central theme of Mercy's life and her relationship challenges don't simply fade away. Again, this effort by Briggs to keep a certain ethic of reality enforcement really deserves high marks because it increases the level of realism in a genre not known for it. Briggs deserves a lot of credit for keeping both feet on the ground while leading us on another exciting chase through an Urban Fantasy world that is as well-developed as any I have ever read.

While I didn't love this one as much as Iron Kissed, I still loved it. There was so much character growth for so many characters in this book and lots of problems to deal with like a super scary villain. I adore this series so, so much! Please go read it, if you haven't! I promise that you won't be disappointed!

    

  5 / 5 Stars!!!

My reviews of other books in this series:
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs 

Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs 
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Vicarious Vacations Volume 1: Five Fave Road Trip Stories

Sunday was the official first day of summer, which means it's that time of year when everyone is going on vacation (except me.) And it got me thinking about some of my favorite "vacation reads" (by which I mean books in which the characters go on vacation, not the ones I'm reading on vacation, since I'll be right here on my couch.)

 

 

 

Obviously there are lots of different types of vacations (none of which I'll be taking.) Theme parks, ski resorts, camping trips. I'm starting with my favorite one to read about - the road trip. I love getting to see new parts of the fictional worlds and meet all the crazy characters along the way. Here are five of my all-time favorite road trip stories.

 

 

5. Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires #6) by Chloe Neill
Honestly, not my favorite of the Chicagoland Vamps books, but I did love the road trip elements. Ethan and Merit are back together and working through some initial awkwardness, which is new and different. And GNOMES! Those little guys were awesome. I keep hoping they'll show up again in the series.

 

4. Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2) by Amanda Carlson
Jessica McClain is on a quest to save her new mate from an evil sorceress. I especially liked watching her bond with Tyler and Danny on the trip. This book also introduced Naomi who's one of my favorite characters in the series. Plus, ZOMBIE GOATS!

 

3. Heart of Steel (Iron Seas #2) by Meljean Brook
The best kind of road trip is one taken by dirigible. (Okay, yes, technically they don't travel on the road, but it's my list and I say it counts.) Yasmeen once threw Archimedes Fox off her airship - literally. So they're not exactly on the best of terms. I loved the enemies-to-lovers story! And I loved getting to see their world as they travel to Morocco in search of valuable artifacts. But the best part - they battle zombies!

 

2. Pale Demon (The Hollows #9) by Kim Harrison
When I read the blurb for this book, I thought it was the most ridiculous I'd ever heard! But I've re-read this book four times. Rachel Morgan drives across the country in order to stand trial for consorting with demons. And she brings Trent, who's on a secret quest of his own. Readers and Rachel both really start to see Trent differently on the trip. And I loved getting to see the world outside The Hollows.

 

1. Wicked as She Wants (Blud #2) by Delilah S. Dawson
Another dirigible trip -- I do love them so! This time a princess and a pianist travel across Europe (the Blud version of it) aboard a floating bordello in order to reclaim her throne. Along the way they encounter pirates, a peacock and of course, a killer unicorn. Casper was one of my favorite characters throughout the series, so I loved to see him get his HEA. But I mostly loved this book because it was so much fun!

Tell me about your favorite road trip reads in the comments. And watch for another list of vicarious vacations in July.

 

Review: Misery's Way by J.C. Daniels

Misery's Way: A Kit Colbana World Story
Colbana Files #4.5
J.C. Daniels
Release: June 22, 2015
Goodreads Amazon

Her name is Frankie. At least, that’s what she calls herself.

She looks human, but she’s no more human than she is a faith-healer. That doesn’t stop her from using her…more unique abilities to take care of certain needs. It’s those abilities that lead to a chance encounter with an unusual woman in Florida.

It’s a chance encounter with fate that will set these two down a collision course with destiny. 

Review:
I'm enjoying The Colbana Files series and I was looking forward to learning about some of the other types of creatures that inhabit Kit's world. But Frankie is not especially forthcoming in that regard. I found her a bit odd at first. She revels in and feeds on pain and misery, but she also cures those ailments as she feeds. She's been posing as a faith healer in order to meet the sick and suffering. But she carefully controls how much relief she gives them so she won't be exposed as a non-human.

She also alludes to another reason to remain off the radar, but doesn't disclose much of her history. She's very old and very powerful - her companion Saleel (by whom I'm really quite intrigued) calls her "goddess" and "angel." But she also seems to have an upbringing similar to Kit's that results in an incomplete understanding of her people (though she never actually reveals what she is) and her magic being self-taught.

I think Frankie is not a character whose POV would normally be explored. In some stories, she might even have been the villain. And I think this story could have easily been told from Kit's perspective. That it wasn't leads me to believe that these characters will show up again, either in their own book or in one of Kit's. In that sense, I thought Misery's Way was quite interesting. As a stand-alone though, I'm not sure what to make of it. It's just a little too dark and mysterious.

This story also contains spoilers for the Colbana Files books, although I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. Sometimes it's okay to have an idea that the tragic events are coming - take something like the Outlander finale for example. If you're familiar with the books, you probably know what Kit's version of that would be. I suspect that Frankie's reaction to those events will have a big impact on Kit's next book as well.

If you haven't read the Colbana Files books yet, Misery's Way also contains the prequel novella Bladed Magic so between the two you should get a good idea what to expect from Kit.


ARC provided by the author

   

3  stars
 

Our reviews of other books in this series:
Blade Song

Review: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Iron Kissed
(Mercy Thompson, #3)
Patricia Briggs
Release: January 2, 2008
Goodreads Amazon

I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled my upper lip so she could get a good look at my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape - but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

Review by Rose Red:

Someone has been killing Fae on the Reservation. So when her mechanic mentor calls upon her to repay a favor to the Fae, Mercy willing agrees to use her nose to see if she can find an identifying scent of the murderer. While she's investigating, she discovers a secret and the Gray Lords start to believe that she could pose a problem to keeping their secrets close.

Very shortly after repaying her favor to the Fae, a reservation guard is savagely murdered and Zee is the prime suspect. Despite warnings from the fae, Mercy takes up the case to clear Zee's name. In order to find the killer, she's going to have to use more than just her nose. This investigation triggers a whole set of terrible consequences for Mercy.

In my opinion, the Mercy Thompson novels are some of the best books in urban fantasy. Patricia Briggs excels at character development and not rushing relationships or even growth on her people. Her characters are also good at staying in character. There is no character bleed through between them. This book, more than the previous two, is packed with emotion, mystery, romance, and fantasy providing a full bodied read for the urban fantasy fan. Mercy is at a crossroads in her relationships with the two men in her life, Samuel and Adam. Both are alpha werewolves although Samuel has no pack and Adam is the alpha of the Columbia Basin pack. Mercy must decide which one she loves more because Adam has declared his feelings for her and her lack of definitive response is weakening the pack.

The love triangle was resolved beautifully and not in a way that I saw coming. I generally hate love triangles. I especially hate them when the author is skilled in making me believe that both love interests are good choices. While this love triangle has that attribute, Patricia Briggs wrote it in such away where it didn't annoy the hell out of me. Samuel and Adam are both decent, honorable men but they both also have their overbearing negatives. I was torn going into the story about who Mercy should choose and while I wanted her to choose someone, I wasn't sure which one and when. The way in which the triangle was resolved was subtle and satisfying. I'm totally on board with how the triangle concluded.

The mystery in this plot is almost as good as the fantasy. Patricia Briggs has a talent for dramatic writing and she can completely enthrall a reader on page one. She also did keep me guessing until very near the end of the novel. Mercy eventually figures out who did the killing but not before something tragic (and I know this is an overused word but it is totally appropriate here) befalls her. In order for her to move on, she must come to terms emotionally and physically with this tragedy. The way in which this tragedy was worked into the story was organic to the mystery. I never felt manipulated and Mercy's struggles never felt cheap.

As a reader of both urban fantasy and romance, this book hit all the right buttons for me. There is a depth of emotion in this book not often found in the urban fantasy trope. Many times urban fantasy is compelling for external motivations: world building, mystery, action. The last third of this story, though, was truly emotional. I was moved to tears at Mercy's struggle with the aftermath of her tragedy and grateful for her eventual triumph. Iron Kissed firmly cemented my love of Patricia Briggs's books. She's going to be an auto-buy for me for the rest of forever.

If you haven't started these books, you need to fix that ASAP. Mercy is one of those heroines who worm their way into a permanent place in your heart while dragging the rest of the cast of characters along with them. I cannot recommend this series enough.

    

  5 / 5 Stars!!!



My reviews of other books in this series:
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Read This F@!%ing Book (42)

 

Welcome to a feature I'm going to post on Mondays called:

Read This F@!%ing Book!

This is a feature for me to push my favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention! 

I'm also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like its not getting the play it deserves? Email me to let me know and I'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something I haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)! If you're interested email me: 

Goldilox3weres@hotmail.com

 This week's post comes from our very own: 
Rose Red!

Read This F@!%ing Book Post 42: The Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh

 

 

 

 

(Click book cover to go to Goodreads page)

It's A Series You Can Binge Read

Can I tell you all a secret? I had never read a Nalini Singh book before three weeks ago. I bought the first book of her Psy-Changeling series while the ebook was on sale for $2 about a month ago. I was curious. It had excellent reviews of Goodreads and I'd heard nothing but good things about the series from some of my blogging friends. I figured I could give it a chance for $2 so I read Slave to Sensation. I was hooked immediately and I had to get the next book ASAP once I finished. I soon become obsessed. I read all fourteen books that are out as well as all the novellas and short stories over a period of two weeks. I read until there was nothing else to read. I regret nothing! Guys! This series is so amazing! It quickly became one of my favorite paranormal romance series ever! It's really that awesome!

It's The Perfect Blend Of Paranormal and Sci-Fi Romance

I will admit that when I first started Slave to Sensation I was a little skeptical about the premise. I was soon sold on it though! This alternate futuristic version of our world has three distinct races: the Psy, the Changelings, and humans. The Psy are a psychic race who have abilities such as telekinesis, foresight, and telepathy. The have a very violent history that resulted in their race suppressing their emotions until they fell nothing. The Changelings consist of different groups of animal shapeshifters who are very much an emotional race that are family and pack oriented. In some cases like that of the DarkRiver leopard pack, they protect the humans in their territory as well as the environment. Pollution is not a thing in this world. Mostly the humans and Changelings view the Psy as enemies to their races. So the dichotomy is interesting. The political aspect of this series is absolutely fascinating while being equal parts horrifying. I couldn't help but fall in love with both Changeling packs in this series. DarkRiver and SnowDancer were fascinating in how alike and different they were. Also, I kind of have a soft spot for both of the Alphas of these packs.

The Romances Are Both Hot And Sweet

I'm a huge fan of romance in books and this series has some of my favorite couples! Almost every romance sucked me in. I couldn't help but root for each couple to come together. I totally ship some of the couples so hard! Not only was the romance hot but each has a sweet aspect to it. The sweetness of some of the romances had me giggling like a school girl because they were so cute. I have definitely expanded my list of book crushes after reading this series. Also, Nalini Singh has a ton of free short stories available on her website that gives us a peek into the every day lives of almost every couple in this series. I'd highly recommend reading the novels, novellas, and short stories in the order listed on Goodreads for this series. The novellas and short stories definitely add to the books.

If you love a good paranormal romance series with a hint of science fiction, I'd highly recommend that you pick this one up and give it a chance. You won't regret it, I promise!

Are you interested in starting this series? Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain? Or have you read it and love it as much as I do? Let us know in the comments below!